Life's Anaya Falcon wins in the quarterfinals at the 2025 NAIA Women's Wrestling National Championships in Park City, Kansas.

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Life pushes six into semifinals, leads team race after day one of NAIA Women’s Wrestling National Championships

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by Savannah Asmann, USA Wrestling

PARK CITY, Kan.—The 2025 NAIA Women’s Wrestling National Championships kicked off on Friday at Park City Arena. Three-time national champion Carolina Moreno of Southern Oregon remains in the hunt for her fourth national title, while five more could win their second national titles on Saturday.

Returning champions Stefana Jelacic of Lourdes (110), Cristelle Rodriguez of Doane (124), three-time national champion Moreno of Southern Oregon (131), Jamilah McBryde of Life (145) and Ashley Lekas of William Penn (180) all advanced to the semifinals on Friday night. At 138 pounds, 2021 National champion Waipuilani Estrella-Beauchamp of Providence advanced to the semifinals, remaining in the hint for a second national title.

Life leads the pack after day one with 118.5 points, pushing six into the semifinals. Following in second with 85 points is Grand View, with two semifinalists. William Penn sits in third with 80 points, while Cumberlands and Missouri Valley round out the top five in the team race.

Fans could see a potential championship match up at 124 pounds featuring two age-group World medalists, pending semifinal results. 2024 U20 World champion and 2019 U17 World silver medalist Cristelle Rodriguez (Doane) will face Missouri Valley’s Jasmina Immaeva tomorrow morning, while 2021 U17 World champion and 2022 U20 World bronze medalist Katie Gomez (Cumberlands) matches up against William Penn’s Joanna Vanderwood.

At 131 pounds, two-time age-group Pan American Championships medalist and past Senior National Team member Xochitl Mota-Pettis of Missouri Valley went undefeated with three technical falls on Friday. Mota-Pettis has outscored her opponents 32-1 throughout the first three rounds.

There are five wrestlers in the semifinals on Saturday that finished second at last year’s tournament, Erin Hikiji of Providence (103), Jasmine Howard of Texas Wesleyan (117), Camille Fournier of Texas Wesleyan (117), Zaynah McBryde of Life (138) and Latifah McBryde of Life (160).

William Penn has a pair of Olympians competing, and both reached the semifinals. No. 1 seed Christianah Ogunsanya at 117 pounds and No. 3 seed Esther Kolawole at 145 pounds both competed at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games for Nigeria last summer.

All 10 No. 1 seeded wrestlers reached the semifinals on Friday. A pair of unseeded athletes in Sevreign Aumua of Missouri Valley (145) and Jannell Avila of Baker (180) went undefeated on the first day of the tournament.

Updated brackets and match-by-match results are available at Trackwrestling.com. Event replays and a live stream of the NAIA Women’s Wrestling Championships are available at FloWrestling.com. The event continues Saturday at 10 a.m. CT in Park City, with the championship semifinals, consolation rounds and placement matches (3rd, 5th, and 7th). Finals are set for 7 p.m. CT on Saturday night.

2025 NAIA Women’s Wrestling Championships | March 14-15, Park City, Kan.

Team Standings

1                     Life, 118.5 points

2                     Grand View, 85.0 points

3                     William Penn, 80.0 points

4                     Cumberlands, 72.5 points

5                     Missouri Valley, 70.0 points

6                     Southern Oregon, 69.0 points

7                     Providence, 56.5 points

8                     Ottawa, 48.0 points

9                     Texas Wesleyan, 47.5 points

10                   Indiana Tech, 46.0 points

Semifinal Matchups

103 pounds

No. 1 Erin Hikiji (Providence) vs. No. 5 Judy Sandoval (Grand View)

No. 3 Alexis Miller (Oklahoma City) vs. No. 7 Makayla Young (Indiana Tech)

110 pounds

No. 1 Anaya Falcon (Life) vs. No. 4 Emma Baertlein (Southern Oregon)

No. 3 Paige Morales (Providence) vs. No. 2 Stefana Jelacic (Lourdes)

117 pounds

No. 1 Christianah Ogunsanya (William Penn) vs. No. 5 Jasmine Howard (Southern Oregon)

No. 3 Salyna Shotwell (Life) vs. No. 2 Camille Fournier (Texas Wesleyan)

124 pounds

No. 1 Cristelle Rodriguez (Doane) vs. No. 4 Jasmina Immaeva (Missouri Valley)

No. 3 Joanna Vanderwood (William Penn) vs. No. 2 Katie Gomez (Cumberlands)

131 pounds

No. 1 Carolina Moreno (Southern Oregon) vs. No. 5 Jumoke Adekoye (Dickinson State)

No. 3 Xochitl Mota-Pettis (Missouri Valley) vs. No. 2 Mercy Adekuoroye (Wayland Baptist)

138 pounds

No. 1 Zaynah Mcbryde (Life) vs. No. 5 Samantha Barragan (Texas Wesleyan)

No. 6 Reagen Gallaway (Hastings) vs. No. 2 Waipuilani Estrella-Beauchamp (Providence)

145 pounds

No. 1 Jamilah Mcbryde (Life) vs. Sevreign Aumua (Missouri Valley)

No. 3 Esther Kolawole (William Penn) vs. No. 2 Liv Wieber (Eastern Oregon)

160 pounds

No. 1 Latifah Mcbryde (Life) vs. No. 5 Josette Partney (Missouri Baptist)

No. 6 Allyssa Johnson (Jamestown) vs. No. 7 Darby Weidl (Ottawa)

180 pounds

No. 1 Ashley Lekas (Texas Wesleyan) vs. No. 5 Liliana Vergara (Campbellsville)

No. 3 Kelani Corbett (Missouri Valley) vs. Jannell Avila (Baker)

207 pounds

No. 1 Olivia Brown (Grand View) vs. No. 4 Riley Dempewolf (Indiana Tech)

No. 3 Savannah Isaac (Life) vs. No. 2 Kathryn Hingano (Southern Oregon)

Quarterfinal Results

103 pounds

No. 1 Erin Hikiji (Providence) tech. fall Angelina Casteneda (Cumberlands), 11-0

No. 5 Judy Sandoval (Grand View) pin No. 4 Karina Vang (Doane), 5:41

No. 3 Alexis Miller (Oklahoma City) pin No. 6 Dutchess King (Cumberlands), 1:13

No. 7 Makayla Young (Indiana Tech) pin No. 2 Katherine Hernandez (Life), 1:53

110 pounds

No. 1 Anaya Falcon (Life) dec. No. 8 Alexsys Jacquez (Saint Mary), 10-2

No. 4 Emma Baertlein (Southern Oregon) dec. No. 5 Lita Cruz (Grand View), 5-2

No. 3 Paige Morales (Providence) dec. No. 6 Tehani Soares (Indiana Tech), 6-4

No. 2 Stefana Jelacic (Lourdes) dec. No. 7 Tristan Nitta (Grand View), 7-0

117 pounds

No. 1 Christianah Ogunsanya (William Penn) tech. fall Shammilka Miranda (Cumberlands), 10-0

No. 5 Jasmine Howard (Southern Oregon) dec. No. 4 Cailin Campbell (Grand View), 7-0

No. 3 Salyna Shotwell (Life) pin No. 6 Mayangelie Colon (Grand View), 1:25

No. 2 Camille Fournier (Texas Wesleyan) dec. No. 7 Katherine Heath (Baker), 9-4

124 pounds

No. 1 Cristelle Rodriguez (Doane) tech. fall No. 8 Kamilah Brooks (Lindsey Wilson), 10-0

No. 4 Jasmina Immaeva (Missouri Valley) dec. No. 5 Rose Kaplan (Indiana Tech), 5-3

No. 3 Joanna Vanderwood (William Penn) tech. fall No. 6 Maya Davis (Grand View), 11-1

No. 2 Katie Gomez (Cumberlands) tech. fall Ellabelle Taylor (Evergreen State), 10-0

131 pounds

No. 1 Carolina Moreno (Southern Oregon) tech. fall No. 8 Devin Patton (William Penn), 10-0

No. 5 Jumoke Adekoye (Dickinson State) pin No. 4 Sarah Savidge (Life), 3:55

No. 3 Xochitl Mota-Pettis (Missouri Valley) tech. fall No. 6 Olivia Mottley (Life), 12-1

No. 2 Mercy Adekuoroye (Wayland Baptist) tech. fall No. 7 Ashley Whetzal (Missouri Valley), 10-0

138 pounds

No. 1 Zaynah Mcbryde (Life) tech. fall No. 8 Gabriella Perez (Campbellsville), 10-0

No. 5 Samantha Barragan (Texas Wesleyan) tech. fall No. 4 Kendall Bostelman (William Penn), 13-2

No. 6 Reagen Gallaway (Hastings) dec. No. 3 Jordan Suarez (Wayland Baptist), 4-3

No. 2 Waipuilani Estrella-Beauchamp (Providence) dec. No. 7 Kori Campbell (Lindsey Wilson), 10-4

145 pounds

No. 1 Jamilah Mcbryde (Life) tech. fall Aspen Dodge (Providence), 12-0

Sevreign Aumua (Missouri Valley) tech. fall No. 5 Krista Warren (Grand View),11-0

No. 3 Esther Kolawole (William Penn) tech. fall Aubrey Yauger (Texas Wesleyan), 10-0

No. 2 Liv Wieber (Eastern Oregon) dec. No. 7 Josselinne Campos (Lindsey Wilson), 5-0

160 pounds

No. 1 Latifah Mcbryde (Life) tech. fall No. 8 Aspen Barber (Doane), 10-0

No. 5 Josette Partney (Missouri Baptist) dec. No. 4 Micah Fisher (Cumberlands), 5-1

No. 6 Allyssa Johnson (Jamestown) inj. def. No. 3 Quilaztli Miguel-Lapham (Southern Oregon)

No. 7 Darby Weidl (Ottawa) dec. No. 2 Flor Parker Borrero (Evergreen State), 13-8

180 pounds

No. 1 Ashley Lekas (Texas Wesleyan) tech. fall No. 8 Saiheron Preciado-Meza (Cumberlands), 11-0

No. 5 Liliana Vergara (Campbellsville) dec. No. 4 Bailey Dennis (Southern Oregon), 5-0

No. 3 Kelani Corbett (Missouri Valley) tech. fall No. 6 Reka Busa (Life), 11-0

Jannell Avila (Baker) won by fall over No. 2 India Page (Lindsey Wilson), 5:48

207 pounds

No. 1 Olivia Brown (Grand View) pin No. 8 Hayeni Costa (Lindsey Wilson), 1:24

No. 4 Riley Dempewolf (Indiana Tech) dec. No. 5 Hannah Jackson (Ottawa), 2-1

No. 3 Savannah Isaac (Life) won by fall over No. 6 Alysse Phillips (Lourdes), 3:55

No. 2 Kathryn Hingano (Southern Oregon) pin No. 7 Bella Porcelli (Grand View), 4:11

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